Ismael Bennacer of AC Milan

GdS: How Algeria’s AFCON exit has changed Milan’s January plans

AC Milan are now not expected to sign a new central midfielder before the January transfer window closes, and it is largely thanks to Algeria’s poor African Cup of Nations campaign.

During his pre-Udinese press conference, head coach Stefano Pioli stated that he would like a centre-back and a midfielder to arrive before the end of the month.

However, La Gazzetta dello Sport (as seen below) reports that Milan’s ‘new’ midfielder will be Bennacer. He will be back at Milanello a lot sooner than he perhaps expected after Algeria’s early elimination from the African Cup of Nations.

Bennacer missed two out of the three group stage games due to a muscle problem so Milan will evaluate him in the next few days, but the first reports did not highlight a particularly worrying issue.

It is difficult to make predictions before the tests at Milanello though it is very likely that Bennacer will miss Saturday’s match against Bologna, and there is a better chance of him being there the following week in Frosinone.

Bennacer influences the market because Milan have not signed a midfielder and the club’s idea is not to do so even in the last eight days of the mercato. Instead, they will proceed with him, Yacine Adli, Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Yunus Musah.

Is it impossible for Milan to find a deal at the end of the transfer window to bet on? No, but the trend is different now and the priority will be to sign another centre-back.

gazzetta dello sport 25 january

   

Tags AC Milan Ismaël Bennacer

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